IOC considering whether to strip Lance Armstrong of Olympic bronze

The International Olympic Committee are to review the US Anti-Doping Agency’s (USADA) report against
Lance Armstrong and decide whether to strip him of the Olympic bronze he won at Sydney 2000.

Lance Armstrong could have his Olympic bronze from Sydney 2000 taken away (Picture: EPA)

Armstrong has had his seven Tour de France titles annulled and handed a lifetime ban from cycling after declining to contest the doping charges against him in August by declaring ‘enough is enough’.

The USADA released a damning report on Wednesday exposing Armstrong as the ringleader in one of sport’s biggest drug scandals.

And now the IOC will launch an investigation into whether they should strip him of the bronze medal he won in the time-trial at Sydney 2000.

‘The IOC is aware of the USADA report and is currently studying it with all the corresponding documentation,’ a spokesman for the Switzerland-based body said.

‘It would be premature at this stage to say if the IOC envisages taking any steps.

‘If we find proof that justifies the opening of disciplinary procedures, we will of course act as a result.’

The USADA exceeded the maximum eight-year delay the world anti-doping agency usually allows to put forward evidence because of the extent of the misuse by Armstrong.

Armstrong’s former team-mate Tyler Hamilton, who spoke out against the former Tour winner, also took performance enhancing drugs and had his gold from Athens 2004 taken away from him in 2011 after a positive test.